The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 4: Raspberry Coco Lait

Beer # 394 Raspbeery Coco Lait
Moonlight Kettle Series

Brewery: Muskoka Brewery

Type: Independent MicroBrewery    Est.:  1996

Location: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured Milk Stout

ABV: 4.5%      IBU: 25

Format: Aluminum Can  Size: 473 ml

Cost: $3.25 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

MuskokaBrewery

    @MuskokaBrewery

Back with another Moonlight Kettle series. This one was actually February's release, but I believe this was a re-issue for the holiday season. (I could be wrong). Milk stouts are wonderful. I keep forgetting how much I love them and I wish there were more on the market. For those of you who do not know what it is. A milk stout has had Lactose added to the brew for a hint of creamy sweetness. Tonight's beer has also has cocoa and raspberries added to it to give it a chocolaty-raspberry milkshake kind of feel. 

Ok... I'm sold. Let's try this

Pours a deep chestnut brown with a fluffy tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is chocolate raspberries a touch of smoke and dark caramel. Hints of earthy dark malts mingle with touches of wood. First sip is sweet and warming raspberry dripping in chocolate. Lips are left sticky from the lactose, hints of coffee and caramel and a nice earthy finish. Aeration brings out some caramelization, notes of toast and smoky malt.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL


Final Thoughts:

Great beer. An excellent example of a well-rounded milk stout. very flavourful and very Christmassy. These are still available at the Brewery.

CJT

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The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 11: PB & C Stout Muskoka Brewery

Beer # 309 PB & C Stout 

Moonlight Kettle Series

Brewery: Muskoka Brewery

Type: Independent Microbrewery     Est.: 1996

Location: Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Flavoured American Stout

ABV: 5.5%      IBU: 31

Format: Crown Capped Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 330 ml

Cost: $3.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery Bottle Shop

Twitter: @MuskokaBrewery

Up to Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge again for their newest Moonlight Kettle release, I believe it just came out on Thursday. Moonlight Kettle is Muskoka Brewery's Experimental/Fun line and they have done some interesting things with it. When I heard their winter version was going to be a Peanut Butter Stout, I said to myself... Self, That would make a good addition to the #2-4 beers of Christmas. So I ran out and got some. I will not lie... peanut butter in this house is the fifth food group; peanut butter cookies are of the most threatened variety and should approach Pint Jockey Headquarters with extreme caution. I once came home from work, made peanut butter cookies, and banana ice cream; I then made cookie sandwiches until I regretted life. So needless to say, with peanut butter stout... you have my attention.

Onto our beer...

Pours an inky dark brown with a deep tan head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is dark chocolate and coffee with a hint of nuttiness. First sip is rich bitter chocolate with strong notes of dark roasted coffee. Mouthfeel is light and clean. Peanut butter builds over the attack leaving a long lingering taste of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Slightly sticky on the lips, especially the taste of peanut butter (although it doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth). As it warms, fresh roasted peanut comes to the forefront.Aeration gives us cocoa, bitter chocolate and candy.



Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  6/6  EXCEPTIONAL
Experience: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Christmas Cheer: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL

Final Thoughts:

Worth it. Very enjoyable stout. The bitter chocolate and roasty coffee meld beautifully with the subtle hints of peanut butter. At times I would forget I was drinking a beer because of the lingering flavour of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The food suggestion on the tag is for spicy Thai food. I could easily see that, as it would pair nicely with spicy sesame and peanut sauces. I might even think that making a spicy peanut sauce with the beer would be an even better way to double down on the flavour. Is it Christmasy? Well yes. It tastes like candy... candy is good for Christmas. But, I keep thinking this would have been even better for Halloween. It sure would taste great with some mini candy bars pilfered from some sleeping child's Halloween bag... (not that I would know anything about that...)

Cheers

CJT

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